The Big Business of Dairy Farming: Big Trouble for Cows

Most people are aware that dairies in the United States bear little resemblance to the idyllic pastures of yesteryear. As with other branches of animal agriculture, such as chicken and egg production, hog farming, and beef production—as well as crop growing—small, traditional dairy farms have been steadily pushed out of the business by large agribusiness concerns. Since the mid-20th century, the growth of factory farming has led to the transformation of agriculture, forcing small farmers to “get big or get out.” Small farms cannot compete with big agricultural firms because they cannot achieve the same economies of scale.

The American dairy industry annually produces about 20 billion gallons of raw milk, which is processed and sold as butter, cheese, ice cream, and fluid milk. This amounts to about $27 billion in sales each year. There are between 65,000 and 81,000 U.S. dairies, yet corporate consolidation means that about half of the milk sold comes from just under 4 percent of the farms. While the large number of brands and labels on store shelves would seem to indicate a diversity of sources, in reality many of these brands are owned by a handful of large corporations. For example, the country’s largest dairy producer, Dean Foods, owns 40 or so brands, 3 of them representing organic milk.

As the number of dairy farms has decreased, the size of those remaining has increased. Between 1991 and 2004, the number of U.S. dairies dropped by almost half, and the number of dairies with 100 or more cows grew by 94 percent. Because big businesses typically seek continuously increasing profits, production must be maximized, almost always at the expense of the cows in one way or another. The cows must be pushed to produce more and more milk. The production of large amounts of milk has called for changes that affect the animals’ health, including the use of drugs, mechanization, and factory-like housing conditions. Most dairy cows are raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs); about 10 percent of those are considered large CAFOs, each with more than 700 dairy cattle.

One of the keys to higher production and higher profits is to increase the milk yield while raising fewer cows. Between 1950 and 2000, the number of dairy cows in the United States fell by more than half, yet during that same period, the average annual milk yield more than tripled. What made this possible, and how has it affected the welfare of the animals?

Frequent pregnancy

Cows are like any other mammal in that they produce milk for the nurturing of their young; in order to lactate, a cow must recently have given birth. In her natural state, a cow gives birth after nine months of gestation and nurses her calf for seven months to a year. This is “wasted” time that a dairy factory farm can ill afford—in addition to the fact that the milk is meant to go to market, not to the calf—so calves born to dairy cows, whose primary purpose in being born is to induce lactation, are taken away either immediately after birth or within a day or so. This separation causes great distress to the mother, who would normally feed the calf more than a dozen times a day and, like other mammals, forms a strong bond with her young soon after birth. Male calves are killed or sent off to be raised for veal or beef. Females become dairy cows like their mothers; frequent replacement of herd members is necessary because the death rate of dairy cows is very high. Cows’ natural life expectancy is 20 years or more, but the average dairy cow lives just 3 to 4 years, exhausted by constant lactation and frequent disease.

Cows on factory farms give birth once a year as a result of artificial insemination. About two to three months after calving, a cow is once again impregnated, and the cycle begins again. Lactation continues throughout, except for a few weeks’ break in between its cessation (about eight months or so after calving) and the next time she gives birth. Thus, dairy cows are induced to produce milk for most of the year.

High-protein feed and growth hormones

Cows naturally eat grass, which is how the bucolic image of dairy herds grazing in pastures became so well recognized. A diet of grass, however, is high-fiber and of low nutritional density and does not result in a high milk yield. The milk produced from this diet would be enough to feed a calf, but it is not enough to satisfy market needs. So modern dairy cows are fed a low-fiber, high-protein diet of grains such as corn and soy along with animal by-products. As ruminants, they have stomachs with four compartments that are made to process high-fiber grass; partially digested food, or cud, is regurgitated to again be chewed and swallowed, a process that occupies cows for up to eight hours a day. The feed given to cows on dairy farms, however, does not lend itself to this process and is thus difficult for them to digest, causing health problems. In addition, the use of high-protein diets—because they contain animal protein, including, in the past, tissue from diseased cows—has been implicated in the proliferation of mad cow disease.

Another tool to increase milk yield is the use of the genetically engineered growth hormone rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone). This hormone contributes to an average milk production of 100 pounds of milk per cow per day, 10 times as much milk as a calf would need. Maintaining such high production for such an unnatural length of time exhausts the cows’ bodies and depletes them nutritionally to such a degree that even the nutritionally dense feed cannot compensate. Copious milk production causes cows’ bones to become severely deficient in calcium. They thus become prone to fracture, and the result is a sharp increase in the number of “downed” cows, or “downers,” a general term for farm and food animals who collapse, unable to stand up again, and must be destroyed.

The use of rBGH causes other serious problems, including chronic mastitis (a painful bacterial infection and swelling of the udder), which is related to overproduction of milk. To treat infections and help prevent them, dairy farms routinely administer antibiotics to their cows. Antibiotics and rBGH find their way into the milk that humans drink. It is known that the overuse of antibiotics, including routine preventative use, encourages the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. In addition, milk from cows given rBGH shows an increased presence of IGF-1, an insulin-like growth factor, which has been shown to cause cancer in humans. The amount of IGF-1 present in milk produced by cows given rBGH is two to 10 times that in non-rGBH milk. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for regulating the use of such supplements, not only has allowed the use of rBGH but has also refused to allow the labeling of milk to advise consumers that it contains the hormone. The United States is the only industrialized nation that permits the use of growth hormone in animals used for food.

How dairy cows are housed

In 2001 more than 75 percent of dairy cows had no access to pasture. Cows in many dairies are housed in a combination of outdoor and indoor facilities, such as sheds, outdoor dirt corrals, and stall barns that may not have access to the open air and where cows may be tied up or otherwise restrained for long periods of time. Cows who are restrained in stalls show signs of stress from social isolation and the inability to lie down; further, they are likely to develop teat and skin injuries, lameness, and susceptibility to a variety of diseases.

Over the last few decades, agribusiness dairies have experienced great growth in the southwestern United States, which has a very different climate from the country’s traditional dairy-producing regions, including New England and the Midwest. The Southwest does not have expanses of grassland, and most dairy cattle there are housed in unpaved dirt lots, or drylots. The undeveloped surface of such lots is hard on the cows and causes frequent lameness. Drylots offer inadequate protection from the elements, and heavy rains create layers of mud and manure several inches thick, often making it difficult or impossible for the cows to walk or lie down on a dry surface, which dairy experts recognize as a health requirement for cows. Further, the population density on dirt feedlots tends to be very high. In the southern regions of California, one of the largest dairy-producing states, the average number of cows per dairy was 800 to 1,000 in 2005â€”more than three times higher than it was in 1972. High density makes it difficult to maintain sanitation, and dairy cows housed this way are subject to frequent illness and infections.

Organic dairies

Unlike the sorry state of most so-called “free-range” chicken facilities, the majority of organic milk producers do treat their cows well, providing access to pasture and proper feed, avoiding growth hormones, and adhering to ethical standards. However, the growth of the organic milk industry in the 1990s and the early 2000s has attracted the attention of agribusinesses, whose desire to participate in this lucrative market has led them to compromise organic standards and lobby for the degradation of such regulations at the federal level. According to a 2006 report by the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group, some of the country’s leading producers of milk, after entering the organic market, have attempted to transfer their factory-farm dairying techniques to the production of “organic” milk. The study found that nearly 20 percent of the organic-brand milk on store shelves was from producers following substandard practices. Consumers should be aware that some of the biggest names in the business are among those implicated.

Books We Like

Howard Lyman, like three generations of his family before him, was a Montana cattle rancher and a crop farmer, and he stayed one through all the vicissitudes of farm life and the setbacks of encroaching agribusiness. He was as committed as any modern farmer to the use of chemicals and the pursuit of profits, and he continued this way until one day he simply could do so no longer.

A serious health challenge in his middle age—a spinal tumor that threatened to cripple him—jolted Lyman into reconsidering his way of life. For years he had put aside his misgivings about what his farm practices were doing to the land and his animals, but during his crisis he suddenly realized the extent to which his stewardship was doing more harm than good. After recovering from surgery to remove the tumor, Lyman attempted to turn to organic farming, but this proved impossible in a farming culture that was heavily invested, literally and figuratively, in business as usual. Instead, he sold the farm to a colony of Hutterites (a religious group who farm communally) and moved on. His eyes opened not only to the depredations wreaked by agribusiness but also to the possibility of a more compassionate and healthy way of life, he became a lobbyist for organic standards, a vegan, and, eventually, a co-defendant in the famous lawsuit brought by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association against him and Oprah Winfrey for “food disparagement”—a libel suit filed on behalf of beef. This came about as a result of Lyman’s 1996 appearance on Winfrey’s TV show, during which he revealed disturbing facts about cattle ranching (including the fact that slaughtered cows were being ground up and fed to other cows, a conduit of infection for mad cow disease). (Lyman and Winfrey won the suit.)

Mad Cowboy is both a memoir and a lesson on food production, health, and compassion from one who knows the business of agriculture inside-out. Lyman’s personal history gives weight and credibility to his views. His style is honest, plain-speaking, humble, and humorous. When he describes his sorrow and frustration at what modern farming methods are doing to animals and the environment, the reader knows that he speaks as one who once was guilty of the same crimes. His chapter titles tell the story: Chapter One, “How to Tell the Truth and Get in Trouble,” talks about his life and the Oprah trial; Chapter Six, “Biotech Bullies,” reveals the collaboration between the agrochemical industry and the government; Chapter Eight, “Skip the Miracles and Eat Well,” explains human nutritional needs, the drawbacks of a traditional diet rich in meat and dairy, and the health advantages of following a vegan diet. Mad Cowboy is not only informative; it is also simply fun to read, as Lyman’s integrity and personality come through on every page.
—L. Murray

75 Comments

Thanks so much for sharing this article that focuses on what using bovine growth hormone does to cows. There is much debate over the use of BGH. While the FDA in the U.S. has given it its blessing, it is banned in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and was never allowed in Canada or the European Union Countries. After researching possible cancer risks at length, the jury is still out on risks for humans (although I would not allow milk from cows treated with BGH in my home). We do know without question however, that the use of bovine growth hormone makes cows sick. This is in fact the reason BGH is not allowed in Germany. German veterinarians take an oath that they will not do anything to intentionally harm animals. Since BGH does that, German veterinarians deemed its use in cows unethical. Thanks!

This article is a regurgitated mess of half-truths and fallacies. To begin, 95% of American dairy farms are family owned and are not controlled by ‘agribusiness’. While companies like Dean Foods are attempting to dominate certain markets, the majority of milk in this country is still marketed through farmer controlled co-ops. You imply that high-producing cows are a result of larger corporate dairies, however the finest, most productive cows are almost always from smaller herds of cattle, which are still found throughout the country. The average herd of dairy cows in the US is only 100 animals, and the practices on small farms are usually identical to those on larger ones. Cows on large dairies do not suffer from worse health than smaller ones, and Southwestern dairies pride themselves on the level of cow comfort they provide. I urge readers to find out for themselves by visiting a local dairy.

If you think that talking down the facts reported in this article is somehow going to convince the rest of us that the debate is over and that there is no cause for concern over corporate dairy farm practices, then you’re a greater fool than you assert the author of this article to be.

It is quite common knowledge that the corporate construct of the United States and by extension, the rest of the world, has greedily and often times maliciously taken over so many operations which lead to the production of the foods we consume, as well as all the other products we buy.

It’s always only been about mass-production for mass-profit for the corporate thugs of this world and the Big Industry dairy producers are certainly no exception to this concept either.

No amount of dis-information rhetoric and ‘Big-Industry’ sentimentality is going to dissuade the majority of well-informed and rightfully concerned citizen’s that it’s a small world after all and that they really shouldn’t care about which products they choose from store shelves.

The requirements for meeting Organic Standards are still very strict and the resulting quality of food from this sector overall is still far less manipulated and far safer and healthier than conventionally farmed foods——-And for an absolute certainly there is a huge difference between the two.

I don’t care how cheap conventionally farmed eggs are. The fact is, when I know exactly how those chickens are treated (the fact that they live huddled together in their own squalor, inside factory farmhouses without sunlight nor the freedom to roam wild—[like chickens are meant to do], all the while, many of them contracting diseases and often dying as a result of those conditions), that doesn’t give me any confidence that I’m actually obtaining solid nutrition from that egg. Nor do I wish to contribute to that type of farming to begin with.

People complain all the time about price versus quality, but the fact is, there also exists an over-bearing propensity for fear-mongering when it comes to how much money people should spend on groceries. And maybe the Great Depression had a little something to do with the fact such a perception still exists today, but when you consider the fact that 2 eggs is considered the USDA’s recommended serving per person and then divide that by 12 eggs, you will still yield 6 meals per dozen of eggs.

So while some people will generally gripe about paying $3 to $5 for one dozen of eggs, what they often easily overlook is the fact that you’re still getting a week’s worth of meals out of that dozen. Try buying 6 meals at McDonalds for that price and they’d look at you like you’re crazy.

In all fairness, the real insanity often comes from people being fed misinformation as well as a general lack on the part of many so-called ‘lazy Americans’ to actually use their critical thinking for something other than having their head in their lap because Facebook also wants to capitalize on us personally. But I must digress a bit, since such weakness could easily be attributed to the sub-par quality of the conventionally produced GMO crap Monsanto and others like them continue to aggressively push on the market all the time.

Most intelligent people can already see through these facades. We see through the matrix and we know why it does these things, because again, it’s not about any heartfelt, genuine concern these corporate manipulators have for us, but instead about their overwhelming desire to continue to make insane profits off the skin of our backs—whether we want them to or not.

Thinking about all these brands and all the mergers and acquisitions that have taken place ever since the inception of modern markets, and is it really any wonder why the advertising industry alone went from being $40 Billion dollar per year industry more than 10 yrs ago, to now over $500 Billion at present?!

Mr. Boyle, we provided some of the sources used in the writing of our article above (under “To Learn More”). It is not clear from your comment whether you are advocating for small farmers or large ones.

Your statement that 95% of dairy farms in the U.S. are family owned agrees, in fact, with our statement, “There are between 65,000 and 81,000 U.S. dairies, yet corporate consolidation means that about half of the milk sold comes from just under 4 percent of the farms.”

Any implication that large corporate dairies alone exact high productivity from cows—if you find such an implication in our text—was unintentional. Might not the practices described herein be understood as describing the whole industry, then? All farmers need to have their cows produce a large amount of milk in order for their dairies to remain competitive.

Your statement that Southwestern dairies pride themselves on the level of cow comfort they provide does not contradict the findings of the research presented here. They may well do so, but this does not in itself demonstrate that the cows are comfortable. It is a far cry from the pasture-based dairy farms of long ago to the feedlots, stalls, and pens of today. Feeding and housing of dairy cows have evolved to be quite divergent from the natural needs and practices of the cows, to say nothing of the frequent pregnancies and the removal of their calves.

Ms. Murray, I too provided a source for my arguments (www.dairyfarmingtoday.org), but it appears to have been edited out. It is unfortunate that an institution like the Encyclopedia Britannica would resort to such heavy-handed avoidance of factual information.

Quite simply, I advocate for all dairy farms, large or small, organic and conventional. There is a place for all of these in our world, and I believe most readers would agree. Those that don’t are likely fighting for an agenda that denies a deep 10,000 year history of animal husbandry.

While I can’t, nor is it my place to, critique each point in this article, I will challenge your assertion that ‘frequent’ pregnancies of cattle are somehow detrimental to the animals. Cows that are placed in natural surroundings with bulls (as many dairies still do) will typically be bred again within 100 days of calving, and often within 55 days. It’s simply the natural cycle of life. Those dairy farmers that use AI are simply replicating that cycle, using a technique that can improve genetics and doesn’t expose workers to large, aggressive and dangerous bulls. I’m not sure what in this you find objectionable, unless of course, you find people with large families equally heinous.

Again, I urge the readers to head out to the country and talk with your local farmers, including those with large farms, you’ll often find them quite open and friendly. The truth can often shatter simple misperceptions.

Mr. Boyle, just so you know, we did not edit out your URL. You did not include that URL separately in the text of your message. Our comment form has a box in which you can type a URL, which is what you did, and our blog software incorporated it into your name as it appears above. If you click on your name, you can see yourself that it is a live link to your website.

Bravo for your article on dairy farming in USA. I am sure such practices are carried on all over the developed world, which makes me wonder just how “developed” we are. For me, three things stand out your article:
– firstly, the farmers seem to be so used to what they are doing that they just do not see the problem;
– secondly and more importantly, these pratices exist simply to give some producers a competitive edge over others – we can produce all the milk and meat we need without them;
– thirdly, government supports them.
The role of the legislature is primordial in commercial life. We accept that it is necessary for the legislature to create a framework within which competitive business can be carried on in such a way that no undue harm comes to employees or consumers. We are coming slowly to accept that this must also be extended to the environment. We must now accept that this must be extended to animals, so that they do not endure unnecessary hardship. The problem comes, of course, in defining what constitues “unneccesary hardship”. There is a very large and very grey area here which needs investigation and because animals cannot talk, this is difficult and controversial.
David Llewellyn

Mr. Boyle, sounds like you are working or own one of the dairies. I am sorry to say, but the truth is there. I have been on the dairies and have seen this first hand. Conditions are horrible and if the average human being saw this first hand they would never take a sip of milk again.

The simple truth is we as a collective group of people need to change these practices.

Mr. Llewellyn, you are right with your 3 points. Our eyes are now wide open to what is happening to the animals, our cows and to us as humans. My thoughts are the same as yours, what are our next steps to end this and how can we help the agribusinesses and the government make these necessary changes.

I read a wonderful comment from John Mackey at Whole Foods on next steps to change this horrible practices:
“Twenty-five years from now, I believe that factory farming in the United States will probably be illegal. First we have to create more compassionate alternatives. As we create a high standard alternative, people will be willing to look at factory farms more closely. They will move out of denial when they understand that there is an alternative. Our descendants will probably look back at this time with horror at the way we treated livestock animals just as we now look back with horror to the way our ancestors exploited the Native Americans, blacks, and women. Animals may not have equal value to human beings (at this time), but they are also sentient beings that can feel pain and suffer. I believe that they deserve a decent life and as pain free a death as possible.”

Ms Page, I suppose you made your assessment of where I work due to the fact that I actually know something about cattle. I do come from a dairy farming family, one that has been milking cows for generations, and raised around cows I’ll wager I have a better understanding of them than the author of this article.

There are numerous large and small dairies around the country that are open to the public, and many are very well attended. Their popularity belies your assertion that ‘average human beings’ would be offended by their practices. Fluid milk sales in the US are increasing, as is the consumption of all dairy products, much to the chagrin of the sponsors of this site. Moreover, world-wide demand for dairy products is increasing at a staggering rate.

It is clear from other posts on this site that Ms Murray is a vegan, intent on the destruction of animal agriculture. Like most in her movement, she will not hesitate to promote lies and exaggerations to further her cause.

While I recognize that you have a point of view to argue, as do we, I would like to clarify some things. Earlier, you made a false accusation that we suppressed your URL, implying that the company we work for, Encyclopaedia Britannica, would resort to the suppression of factual information, of all things. Yes, this Web site is a directly opinionated facet of our company, and deliberately so. We take a certain point of view, and we welcome discussion of anything that is said here. For example, we come out unmistakably against some practices of hunting and animal agriculture (did you not see the approving discussion of truly organic small dairies in the last part of the article?). In turn, we approve all comments except the profane; and, as far as those go, if there is any way to edit the offensive language from such posts without gutting them completely, we do so and post them, no matter whether they are against our own opinions.

Your citation of an increase in fluid milk sales and in the demand for dairy products around the globe is a red herring, and whether we greet this news with “chagrin,” as you predict, is not the question. This is another form of “shooting the messenger,” or more precisely, casting aspersions on the messenger to denigrate the message, which is all too common in public discourse today. Whether we care or not about the sales of fluid milk has nothing to do with the treatment of cows. And from the comments you can see here, it is clear that “average human beings” are, in fact, upset at how dairy cows on factory farms are treated. They may not feel the way you would like them to, or you may be offended as a dairy farmer, but these peoples’ opinions are valid, despite the continuing sale and consumption of dairy products, which you believe argues against the idea that anyone minds what happens to cows.

While I am only one of a group of editors of this site (who are, for the record, a mix of vegan, vegetarian, and “omnivorous”), and our personal identities are not the point of the site, I have said in this space that I’m a vegan. I know that some people insist on that term and worldview being coterminous with “nutty extremism,” and it is not my mandate here to change that opinion, though I would think my words and tone should go some way toward doing so. But as long as you have made the accusation that I in particular have promoted “lies and exaggerations,” an accusation you have not supported well, I will say that your guess as to an overarching motive is simply wrong: I am not intent on the “destruction” of animal agriculture, nor is this Web site. Our mission is as we state in the right-hand column, under “About This Site.” And it should also be said that our views do not necessarily represent those of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. We are engaging in a new sort of discussion here that is separate editorially from the Britannica Blog and from the contents and aims of the encyclopedia itself. Sometimes, as we did last week (8/20/07), we invite freelancers and guest writers from organizations to write for us.

Yes, as a vegan, I would like people to become persuaded to relinquish animal-exploiting practices, but I’m not intent on destroying anything. Changing hearts and minds is one thing—demonizing farmers and omnivores and dragging them kicking, screaming, and seething with resentment (and left without their livelihoods) into a brave new world is quite another. Our intention is to bring to light things that we believe need to be changed in order to make things better for animals and for the world around us.

Your article begins with a false assumption regarding dairying, namely that dairy farming was a static field until the last thirty years. The bucolic image of agriculture being an essentially unchanging endeavor is a myth – instead it has always (back into deep prehistory) been a dynamic experimental field with constant change inherent in its practice. As our society has urbanized, notions of agriculture get “stuck” in the past, and hence why most Americans have a vision of a Wisconsin dairy from the late 1800s in their head when they think about dairying. Never mind that those big red distinctive barns were considered cutting-edge science when introduced in the mid-1800s and changed dairying in the US to a greater degree than anything introduced in our field since. This has always been the case since the first cows were domesticated by the Natufian culture of the Near East 8500 years ago, with each subsequent generation altering and adapting the ways in which animals are raised.

I did present some facts that contradicted you statements regarding “frequent” pregnancies being a modern introduction in dairy farming, but it doesn’t appear if you really want to deal with the truth.

If you want to argue about facts, instead of opinions, let’s do it. Limit yourself to actual peer-reviewed articles from accepted scientific journals and statistics from recognized surveys, and stop “citing” websites with avowed goals of stopping animal agriculture. Your method of presenting facts is to regurgitate a sentence with little attribution, so its difficult to determine where exactly these ideas are coming from. Here’s a few questions I’ve come up with reading your piece, and I’m curious if you’d respond.

What exactly is a “large agribusiness concern” and how exactly does it differ from a “traditional dairy farm”?

Is there evidence that small farms cannot compete with large firms? Moreover what is the evidence that “large firms” (and by this I assume you mean agricultural corporations) actually own even 1% of the dairy cows in this country?

Is the increase in milk per cow between 1950 and 2000 differ greatly from percentage increases seen between 1800 and 1900, or 1900 and 1950? How much of this percentage increase is due to breed selection and simple genetic improvement?

What evidence do you have of “distress” in modern dairy breeds due to the separation of cow and calf?

What is a “very high” death rate amongst dairy cattle? What evidence is there that a modern dairy cow can live to 20 years of age? Where is the citation for the figure that the average dairy cow only lives three to four years? What was the cull rate of a dairy herd 100 years ago?

If a dairy cow requires years of feeding before it produces milk, and thus any income, how is it advantageous for a farmer to replace that cow after two lactations?

If cows “naturally” eat grass, why is there archaeological evidence of grain in preserved cattle manure dating back to the late Neolithic? What is the history of feeding starches to cattle?

When you state that “modern dairy cows are fed a low-fiber, high-protein diet of grains”, where do you get that information? What do you define as low-fiber and high-protein?

What is your evidence for wide-spread acidosis amongst dairy cattle, if they are indeed all fed a supposed low-fiber diet?

Where is the evidence that dairy farmers “routinely” administer antibiotics to their cows? Isn’t it true that all milk in the US is tested for the presence of antibiotics and destroyed if found to be present? What benefit to the farmer is it then to routinely keep cows out of production?

What percentage of dairy cows in the US were at any one time administered Posilac? What is that percentage today? How can one test for the presence of rBST in milk? How does the percentage of IGF-1 in milk compare to that of soy beverages? How do these numbers compare with the human bodies natural secretion of IGF-1?

How many cows in the US are still constrained in tie-stall barns? How many cows have no access to the open air?

Is there any evidence that cattle in dry lots suffer from increased disease or less milk production (the two are connected)? Are cows in dry lots more exposed to the elements than cows in grass pastures? What would be the overall environmental effects of pasturing cattle in arid regions?

Is there a difference in milk quality, as measured in SCC, LPC, and SPC between dry lot herds and others?

How does one judge the husbandry practices between traditional and organic producers to arrive at the conclusion that one treats their animals better? Do organic herds have longer life spans? How do organic and conventional herds differ in calving intervals? Rates of mastitis? How do organic dairymen treat their cows with mastitis and other infections if they can’t use antibiotics?

But the “average human beings” have spoken as of 8/24/07. Starbucks sent out their press release of “We have committed that by December 31, 2007, all of our fluid milk, half and half, whipping cream and eggnog used in U.S. company-operated stores will be produced without the use of rBGH.”http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16655614/

This has come from direct pressure of the people wanting to know what is in their food and wanting better treatment for the animals. Times are changing and I support this fully. There is no need for the factory farm conditions in the livestock business. Local dairy farmers who are ethical in their practices and treatment to their animals should be rewarded for their actions. I don’t think anyone is disputing this as you may think.

As for the dairy farms, the ethical and moral dairy farms are what people are wanting. This is especially true of the “organic” farms. But companies such as Horizon, Aurora and Three Mile Canyon have been exposed through former workers and video on their horrific conditions and treatment to the workers and the animals. So much so, Gail Eisnitz, authored Slaughterhouse, which shows the horrific conditions at Three Mile.

Thus yes, the dairy farms give the glossy marketing/advertising tours of their farms, but they are not letting people inside their real practices of the farms. All you have to do is drive or hike around the perimeters of their farms and you see the calf huts, long barracks and holding lots. No happy cows grazing on the green pastures, like the Horizon logo depicts on their packaging. This is the world of advertising, I live and breath it everyday as I work for one of the largest ad agencies in the world. It’s slick advertising, just as Goodby ad agency did the “Got Milk” campaign. It’s the large dairy farmers’ advertising budgets twisting the people’s minds. The beauty fo advertising, but people are getting smarter and now are looking to know what is going into their food and what is ending up in their bodies and their children’s bodies.

I would think you would not support these types of farms and I would hope that you are of the ethical and moral standards for dairy farming, but your anger in your posts seems as though you are not sitting well with something that is happening in your life.

Perhaps you posting on this site when it is visited by people for change and better treatment of the animals, means you truly want to make a change for the better and find common ground here.

Nothing in your first paragraph disputes what we’e said here. My mention of “idyllic pastures of yesteryear” did not purport to portray historical truth but rather an idealized vision of dairy farming that people tend to hold in their minds. What follows are photographs and descriptions based on eyewitness accounts and other evidence provided by honest and credible investigators.

When I wrote the article two months ago, I verified the numbers and other factual information using the information available to me in online journals (including some scientific papers and trade journals) as well as through farm-animal advocacy organizations. The evidence of the latter is necessarily of a different kind than is found in peer-reviewed journals, but you have stated that is all you will accept, so we’ll just have to leave it there.

Most of the questions you posed are not relevant, as they are beyond the scope of what was written in the article. They seem to have been asked with the intention to prove that, because we are not scientists and dairy farmers, we are neither qualified to understand nor right to believe the evidence that has been found. For our part, as I said above, we realize that the evidence that supports a reform of farming practices for the sake of the animals is not to be found primarily in peer-reviewed journals. The appeal to the authority of peer-reviewed journals alone is misplaced.

I will attempt to answer one or two of your questions to prove a point, and then I will leave it at that, as it does not appear that you are prepared to accept what we say on any account. For example, I don’t suppose you would acknowledge any existing evidence that dairy cows and their calves experience distress upon being separated soon after birth. These are things observed in person, though perhaps not by you.

I did not mention acidosis by name; you did, as it happens, which implies that you are aware that it’s a common problem. Nevertheless: Acidosis in dairy cattle can be caused by a number of factors, according to, for example, a fact sheet presented by Dr. Limin Kung of the University of Delaware Department of Animal and Food Sciences on that department’s Web site. Among the causes are (1) a diet too high in fermentable carbohydrates (starches and sugars) and (2) low fiber content in the diet. Similar statements were published by Gabriella Varga, a professor of animal science, in Penn State’s Dairy Digest.

To go beyond acidosis and treat the larger topic of digestive problems (which is how I characterized the topic in our article), in “Maintaining digestive health in dairy cattle,” Dr. Mary Beth Ondarza states that hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) “has become more and more prevalent on dairies. HBS is characterized by sudden death of afflicted animals” with evidence of severe bleeding in the small intestine. Ondarza cites a 2002 U.S. Department of Agriculture survey that found that more than a third of large (500 cows) dairy farms had had at least one case of HBS in the previous five years. She says, too, that “reports indicate that the frequency of the problem is increasing in the US.” According to Ondarza, the cause of HBS is unknown, but predisposing conditions are “acidosis and high levels of starch reaching the small intestine.” She says that “high energy diets result in more rumen acidosis.” Perhaps one could ask Dr. Ondarza to define “high energy,” “increasing frequency,” and “more rumen acidosis” if one were now planning to put those terms into dispute. Her report does go on to say that “it is not only the amount of dietary starches and sugars that affects rumen acid levels but also the type of starch and processing” (emphasis mine) and then makes recommendations as to dietary adjustments.

Mastitis is a problem in organic dairies as well as conventional ones, but it is less of a problem. The study “Mastitis and related management factors in certified organic dairy herds in Sweden” (Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, v. 48, no. 1 [2006]) found that udder health in organic herds appeared to be better than in conventional herds that were of similar size and of similar production levels. The scientists studied 26 herds with mean herd sizes of 32 (organic) and 33 (conventional) cows. They “were found to have a lower incidence of clinical mastitis, teat injuries, and a lower proportion of cows with a high somatic cell count” (SCC). The organic farmers used homeopathic remedies, massage with liniment, and strip milking to treat the mastitis. Similar treatment was reported in the Proceedings of the British Mastitis Conference 1998 by Malla Hovi and Steve Roderick of the Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Unit of the University of Reading. You are right in your passive implication that even organic dairies use antibiotic therapy for mastitis. However, the milk withdrawal period (the period during which the treated cow’s milk must be discarded) after antibiotic treatment is much longer on organic farms (12.9 milkings) than on conventional farms (4.7 milkings). As for treatment, the British study reported that on conventional farms all mastitis cases were treated with antibiotics versus only 41% on organic farms, which preferred homeopathic treatment (52%). Another 6.9% of the organic farmers used other treatments, such as liniments. The study also indicated that organic farmers were increasingly turning to non-antibiotic treatment of mastitis.

You asked for scientific citations, and I have provided several, if that can prove anything. Obviously, we do research when we write and do not simply “regurgitate” half-truths and exaggerations as charged. And herewith, we retire on the subject. We cannot go on like this indefinitely in an attempt to satisfy other people’s agendas.

How we treat animals is also a reflection on how much we care about our fellow human beings. Allowing animals to roam and graze (free range) and eat proper nutritious naturalgrains and grass and other vegetation contributes to a more nutritions milk and meats that is derived from farm animals. It is inhumane to allow farm animals to remain immobile and pump them full of hormones and antibiotics, what is the point of their lives if they are only born to suffer. We must insist that animals be allowed to at least live a reasonable life, and when they are slaughtered it is done in a humane process that causes them as little pain as possible. I’m a vegan, which I’ve chosen because it’s healthier, but I still cannot understand how we’ve allowed corporate farming to decimate the private and family owned farms througout the world, and put these inhumane farming practices, all in the name of bigger quarterly profits. In the end humans will lose as much as the animals do, as there will be no healthy lifestock in existence, and we will have more diseases, toxins in our systems, and a poisoned planet.

In response to a few questions Mr. Boyle has please refer to the following link http://www.sopa.org.uk to see how other countries do this.

I’m a vegetarian. I’m a horse-owner.
I do know a few dairy and beef cattle farmers.
I have seen the veal cages of smaller farms – they are certainly not like those in the pictures of factory farming. I have also seen the large pastures both the dairy and beef are on, in smaller farms (under 200 head). Guess what? no nasty filthy dirty muddy paddocks. Nice pastures, nice run-in sheds, nice dairy barn, nice big barn the beef cattle are confined to for the week or two before they are sent to slaughter. Nice huge xtra-triple-sized looking “doggie igloo” type dog-house (or in this case calf-house) for the veal calves that are allowed to turn around, that have their small confines moved to fresh pasture every few days, that are hand fed bottled milk.
And yes – I’m not seeing just the front of the properties – I get to wander all over those farms to pick up good local grass mix hay for my horses.(Amazing how local grown actually cuts down on a lot of allergies equines have….)
Sure doesn’t look anything like those pictures of factory farming. No white eyeballs rolling, no bleats of lonliness or fear…just good old murmuring lowing of cows….

Stupid people don’t understand the farms now days in the next 10 years there will be over 9 billion people on this planet. In oder the feed that many people your going to need bigger dairy farms. I live on a farm we milk 2000 cows and feed over 500 young stock. My dad started this farm in 1970 we started out with 25 cows.Anyways my point is in oder to feed that many people you need “factory farms” or called as “mega dairy”.
If you don’t like what I said
I DONT CARE

If anyone has ever been around a dairy they will know that those cows get pampered to no end, besides the dairy industry spend millions of dollars each year on cow comfort alone for example water beds for the cows to lay in, fans and misters for when its hot, encloused buldings to protect them for cold harsh winters, and not to mention all the money they spend in fuel just keeping there corals dry and clean

First off, I’m confused on how is organic farming better than non-organic dairy farming? My family owns a 500 cow dairy farm. Our cows are averaging 70+ pounds of milk per day without the use of bst or other growth hormones and we have a cull rate of less than 5% a year, which is excellent for our herd size. My job is to take care to the cows right after they have their calves, which is when their immunity is the lowest due to calving stress (same thing with women after they have kids). I monitor their health and if they become sick, I treat them with the correct dose of government approved drugs. I know that even on organic farms they use drugs to treat their cows, but they are only allowed to use certain ones. My family treats our cows with the same respect and care that we treat one another. We’ve even won awards for it through our local co-op. Ever try McCadam or Cabot cheese? We make it. Anyway, I know that there are farms out there that don’t care for their cows the way they should, but Ms. Murray, you can’t generalize every farm as a “factory farm.” And you can’t say that we all use bst and that we all treat cows the same way. I have been to many farms and seen many things with which i’ve both agreed and disagreed. You should try visiting a few farms or maybe doing a little more research before you generalize. You wouldn’t want me generalizing against all vegans, well i don’t appreciate all dairy farms being generalized as cow-killers. Thank you.

It is such a blessing that the US has so many dairy farms. I recently visited Haiti and saw how some children lacked protein and calcium, they had red hair and wished i could start a dairy farm there.
Soem people have so much and some have very little.

The idea that calcium from dairy helps anyone is propaganda by the dairy lobby. Cow’s milk has three times the amount of calcium of human breast milk, but that does NOT mean all of it is bioavailable. Please look up some basic chemistry facts. Calcium only works when it is taken in with the proper balance of magnesium, NOT something that happens when people drink a ton of milk by itself.

That last comment is ridiculous. Because we have resources, we should accept the notion that they are in our best interest wholesale, without any discourse?

Another example of the non-thinker who loves their country the way a four-year-old loves their mommy. Just because we question the methods our dairy farms have come to practice -standard- certainly doesn’t mean we don’t love our nation.

And I hardly consider oversight to be “biting the hand that feeds us.” As for the literally portion of your statement, that is also incorrect. You feed you. You have a choice in what you wish to consume, and businesses no longer compete for that right, they simply throw out whatever resource is readily available, market it to children, and watch the dough roll in.

Were we to follow where our food comes from, before it reaches our supermarket or our dinner table, not only would we be appalled at the treatment this food receives, we would be galled by the fact that someone thought it a good idea for our “food system” to be run this way.

Ask questions! Do some research! Find out what you’re actually dining on. In the end, you and your planet (never mind this ridiculous bastardization called “nationalism”) will both be the better for it.

I think it is interesting to see the total lack of truth in this article and I also think that it is interesting that it is published on the encyclopedia britannica website. I also enjoyed the change in scenery on the organic dairy. I think that it is also interesting that people think it is better to let a cow die from simple illness, rather than treat her with an antibiotic such as pennicillin, humm makes sense. I also find it interesting that the use of rbst is related to mastitis, thats bullarky. It is not hard to beleive that the country has got itself into the financial crisis, if people will believe this crap they probably will buy a house they cant afford on a arm loan. I hope everyone can continue to live in ignorance for your sake.

i just have to state the obvious for those who are ignorant. milk production is a part of motherhood yes. as with humans,when animals get stressed or sick, work production goes down. you say that dairy cows are mistreated and wrongfully fed constantly. i have to dissagree strongly. cows will not let there milk down if they are stressed. why then would a farmer mistreat his animals? your facts are all wrong. i too agree with the fact that you have to visit more farms to make a solid opinion.

You people have a serious mental disorder, to publish garbage like this site. I have lived and worked on dairy farms my whole life and have never seen and been party to any of the crap you are telling people on this site. You need a good therapist.

Good work Murray.. I think though some of the readers have misunderstood the spirit behind your article, it appropriately rings alarm on our distructive practices in dairy farming, not only in US but in many more countries.

I wonder ehat Vikram knows about a dairy farm. He or she has probably never even been on a dirt road, probably doesn’t know what its like outside when its cold, and hasn’t been in the summer heat since a vacation in Florida. Guess what folks.. when you are coming out of that dirty dingy city looking for food and shelter because you cannot shuffle papers and play on the computer anymore. You will not find a welcoming hand… Hope you enjoy your last few months in the burbs… life support is nearly over.

What do u mean by organic dairy farming? Do u know that the milk from a cow infected with mastitis and injected with the antibiotic is discarded and not sold.There is no way to drink it because it smells and spoils fast.And please cows live a lot longer and they don’t die as u stated in 4-5yrs.Some of the things i read here sound a lot like guesswork.

Yes, we do know that about mastitis; we covered that. See comment 14 above, second-to-last paragraph. It occurs less frequently in the organic dairies. And the standard withdrawal period for milk from cows treated with antibiotics is about three times as long in the organic industry.

Where is the research that says mastitis occurs less in organic dairies. I know some organic dairies and they are typically people who cannot make it in the traditional dairy business because they are poor operators. Meaning that there animal husbandry skills and business skills are sub par. Also an interesting note is that more loads of organic milk are rejected for antibiotic residue than tradional milk on a percentage basis. Hmmmm….

this web site is fun to be in because you could see pictures and learn about different thingslike about animals how they work to get the milk from a cow well at list you have an idea about what am i talking

A few citations from a bunch of other garbage like this publication means jack squat to me. Look out your door, do you live on a dirt road and walk on the grass every day, I bet no. Do you know how many acres it takes to comfortably graze a dairy cow in each climate. Most climates in this country are not suitable to graze cattle in without imposing great amounts of stress on them. I know you believe I am ignorant because I am not from New York City or Boston, but you my friend are the one that doesn’t know anything

You ask for citations, we provide them, you say they’re not the ones you want. Clearly your mind is closed. In addition, you’re writing from an email address that appears to belong to one of the major multinational agribusiness companies. Does your company know that you consider USDA reports and research from the Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Unit of the University of Reading to be “garbage”?

Do not think for a minute that I do not believe that animal cruelty happens, but people also abuse their spouses so should their be no more marriages. The funny thing about the animal cruelty case in the beef packing plant was the same day an airport security agent beat a parapaligic person in the denver airport. So, if you think I am closed minded you may be right, but everyone and everything can look bad in a certain light. Your light is very narrow, much like your perspective. It would be nice if one day you would get off the pavement and meet some great people that work everyday to take care of you an your family. Not the people in the pictures, but people that are honestly trying to take care of the environment, their families, their animals and their land. That would sure be nice, instead of painting with such a broad brush, a true artist can portray the detail. The way your are treating agriculture is about like me saying all reporters or Journalists work for star magazine. I try to not be the type of person that you are portraying, how about you try not to act like you work for Star Magazine, because no matter how much you cherry pick cititions you and I both know this is not the whole truth. Be responsible.

First of all, Murray, I see where you are coming from, i do disagree with your views, but that is only natural and i am not hear to abuse you and say that what you believe in all malarkey. I am a student in college majoring in Dairy Science and have been around the industry my whole life. After saying that you now know that i support the dairy industry both big and small.
I just want to point out a few thing and would like for you to respond back.

1 rGBH/rBST is like you have said a hormone that is used to increase milk produciton in cattle.
First of all Bovine Somatotrophin (rBST) is a naturally occuring hormone. The cow is already making it herself and it supplement her in producing milk. when a cow is injected with this natural hormone it gives her and energy boost and she produces 15 more pounds on average. (my sources will be cited at the end of my little sh-peal). The use of BST is not the primary cause of mastitis. Mastitis is caused by bacteria entering the opening of the teat. When the cow is done milking the teat sphincter takes about 2-3 minutes to close and in that time the cow is walking out of the milk parlor where she can kick up bacteria from the ground onto the udder. Another thing we ourselves cant be compared to British or Swedish dairies. Their style of dairy is way different than ours here, trust me when i say that because i have gone to Britain on a trip to go exam their style of dairying.

2. Pasture Farms.
How is this possible? If farmers would want to do that it would be impossible. Urbanization has caused this. I live in California and the prime dairy and farming lands have been taken away for construction, of homes, stores,etc.. not for farming. Can you actually believe when i tell you that Los Angeles County was the prime farmland and would still be if it wasn’t for urbanization.

3 Cow Health
We did a study here at my college on cow health. this might be a little bit of a strech for you but did you know that our cows are taken care better of than most human beings in America. Just think about the next thing im going to say. Cows have nutritionists! Its true cows have their nutritionists that make a complete balanced diet that is supplemental for both the cows health, and provides enough energy for her to make milk, while still taking note of the daily roughage requirement. These high protein diets like you stated are high in protein but that does not mean we do not give the cows roughage. Every ration is balanced like i said to meet the cows needs. Secondly on average a cow in California is visited by the Veterinarian 24 times a year, just for a check up to see if they are healthy or not. These are called herd-check’s. Cows that have antibiotics are milked but they are milked seperatly from the cows that are being milked for consumer purposes. Those cows with antibiotics are kept apart in the Medical String, which are the cows that have benn treated for problems such as injury,infections, etc. The milk by these cows is usually dumped.Furthermore to ensure healthy milk, the procesing plant always test the milk inside of the trailer at the entrance of the plant. The truck full of milk waits there until his milk has been tested and it is certified free of anything , such as antibiotics, and then the milk can go into processing.

There are many other things that can be talked about but i will just leave it at that for know.

Like i said my sources are my books which i use in the class and also of course what i have been learning in class,through my experiences and study’s conducted for my class.

the book is called “Dairy Cattle Science” written by Howard D. Tyler and M. E. Ensminger bot of the dairy department of Iowa State University.

This article is full of misconceptions and is very untruthful. The author should really check their facts. Modern dairy farmers care for their animals, and care about the consumers that enjoy their product.

Anything in particular, Natalie? Blanket accusations and generalities don’t really stand up against the list of citations and further resources we provided, or against the further citations I provided at the demand of a dairy-industry flack in the comments.

George Costa, thank you for your polite comments and your citation for suggested reading. I don’t really think, though, that you’ve said anything I haven’t said myself. Yes, cows have veterinary care. Yes, there are scientific reasons why the things we describe in the article are done to the cows. But they’re not good for cows—they’re good for milk production. The two things are not equivalent. The interest of the dairy industry is to make money from cows. Individual farmers may care to a greater or lesser extent about the welfare of the cows. I’m not saying they don’t care. But the interest of the cow is to not be injected with *extra* hormones (whether they are the same hormones the cow produces naturally or not), or to eat high-protein feed when that is not what her body evolved to eat.

I talked about milk withdrawal periods in comment 14 above.

Yes, I know that Los Angeles County was formerly farmland. It was beautiful country up until the early 20th century, when people began flocking there and the film industry started taking off. Urbanization took a lot of this country’s pastureland, but factory farming isn’t doing the environment any favors, either. (See other articles on this site under the categories “Food and Farm Animals” and “Animals as Commodities.”) But maybe if people weren’t so brainwashed that they need dairy products to stay healthy, and weren’t so addicted to consuming pounds and pounds of cheese every year, agribusiness wouldn’t need to produce so much and the cows could get a break.

George, I have a question for you, though, about BST. I don’t think I said that BST was the cause of mastitis. What I was trying to say was that the vastly increased milk production puts stress on the cows’ bodies, lowering their resistance, and that all that milking damages their teats and lets the bacteria in that cause infection. And that’s why they get mastitis and need antibiotics in the first place. Is that not the case?

To Administrator, my name is Justin Rocha and I’m also a college student majoring in Dairy Science. It’s truly sad that many people have the same mentality as you do, but don’t worry, it’s not your fault. You see, most people like you are the ones that are brainwashed, milk and cheese is very high in calcium and is good for you. That would be like saying vegetables aren’t needed in the body when in reality they are, haven’t you ever heard of the food triangle. You don’t realize how much care goes into the health of cows, especially in California. rBST is a natural occuring hormone and if it cause mastitis why would the dairy cow be producing it already herself.
The feeds given to cows like George said are balanced, and if her body was not evolved to eat them, her body would reject them. You aren’t indeed feeding the cow, but the microbes in her rumen. The microbes in the rumen are the most important of your case you brought up with high protein feeds. These microbes are responsible for breaking down feeds and turning them into energy. And going back on rBST, dairy cows do get stressed out, just like any other animal would, which is why dairies have evolved to make lives better for these animals. For example, shelter over their heads, keeping them out of the elements is one way to make them live longer and be healthier. Furthermore, freestall barns giving them the ability to lay down, like a cow hotel if you will. They also have dry lots, a dry safe place where they are allowed to socialize and run around with all the other cows. If you have been to a dairy and see this kind of behavior, you know the cows are well taken care off. From the time a calf is born, to the time it starts to milk, they are taken care of. I hope you open your eyes to the truth, and not the stuff that negative people such as yourself think. Stop bashing the dairy industry for what it’s doing, there is nothing wrong with that. If you want to cause drama, talk about why tobacco companies are killing millions of people every day.
Thank you and God bless!!!

I think your arguments also seem to come from a brainwashed view and are incorrect.

1) Cows could more easily socialize on the pasture. Cows have more room in a barn?
2) Humans eat much processed, manufactured food and our bodies are not “rejecting” it. Our bodies work around any issues it may present. Many people with allergies suffer from numerous chronic conditions before recognizing the food or additive causing it.
3) Milking cows 3 times/day? Commercial dairies typically get 3-5 lactations from a cow even though a cow can easily lactate 10 times. The extreme milking and pushing of cows is responsible.
4) Food triangle (Did you mean pyramid? It has moved to the myplate program.) is partially driven by the food industrial system. Milk is not a major food group and pasteurized dairy has significant immunologic issues.
5) rBST is natural, but it should not be used beyond its range. Insulin is natural, but it will kill you in high doses. Testosterone is natural, but it is linked to seizures and MANY other symptoms in higher doses.

The dairy, other animal, and agricultural industries see animals and plants as machines to manipulated for the conveniences of the farmer. The mono-cultural systems are not sustainable and will not feed the people of the world.

I feel the above article covers the many of the issues related to the food industrial complex.

so true why are cow forced into labor of being stuffed with drugs and growth hormones, even being jammed up in a barbwire fences, also being slathered by a factory. so cruel, so EVERY ONE PLEASE! don’t eat meat please saves mother nature creatures!?

It makes me chuckle thinking that a conventional dairyman would assume the reason why other dairyman would choose the organic market is because they are “poor operators”. Maybe they choose organic production because of the steady pay price commonly exceeding $30/cwt. They may have been tired of 16 dollar milk today and next month the same milk is worth 11 dollars.
Organic production also has a somatic cell count limit of 400,000 compared to the 750,000 limit for conventional producers. I don’t think a “poor operator” would have much of a future in organic production.

Its always sad to see any animal being used for commercial purposes without any consideration for the health, wellbeing and life enjoyment for the animal. Another sad fact of human intervention with nature.

all i know is I am more confused than I was to start out with. i just wanted to find a friendlier way to eat without feeling guilty wondering how the cows are truly treated as i am drinking my milk at home. I work at a place as a cashier and we sell milk like its going out of style. I dont know who to believe anymore. I love dairy products and I love cows and almost all animals (scorpions still freak me out). It is clearly unhealthy not to drink any milk or do any dairy products because God made all that we need, and that includes red meat and milk and such. To deny that is a mockery of God actually putting them here. No animal is useless, but I just want to have my conscience cleared when i try to be a healthy individual. All of you guys arguing back and forth doesnt help. I just want to know the cold hard facts of different producers with no opinions added. is that so much to ask?

As a Rancher of 16 Years I want to tell people our Cattle in Montana are some of the best in the world. And don’t talk to me about how we take care of our animals. State of the art Barns and Facilities. Waterbeds for Dairy Cows !!! We have them. So America I have one thing to tell You. Drink Milk and Eat Beef. You are enjoying the finest in the World here in Montana. Also keep in mind. The West was not won on SALLAD!!!

I find it sad that anger, frustration, and other emotions find their way into enlightening conversations where real progress and development could otherwise be made. I just wanted to add a few thoughts. I have read through almost all of the above comments and I don’t think that anybody has said that ALL dairy farms implement cruel or irresponsible practices. There are many beautiful farms still out there, with very well taken care of cows. So I wish all of you incorporating those wonderful practices would just calm back down. The statements were not about you.

I am not one for conspiracy theories, however one would have to be naive and ignorant to reject the FACT that decisions made in our country are largely financial and in the best interests of the highest bidder. Our regulatory agencies (such as the FDA for one) are controlled by the government, and the people in government are highly influenced by those with agendas and deep pockets (like Monsanto for example). Accordingly, I have come to the conclusion that all decisions made by those regulatory agencies (such as the FDA for one) are not necessarily in our best interests.

My grandfather was a cattle farmer (less than 50 head). I have had a freezer full of pastured, grass fed, happy beef since I can remember. He died a couple of months ago, 1 month short of his 100th birthday. I miss him. Rest in peace Grandpa. I am not a vegetarian, nor vegan. I speak from the perspective of a true blue, red blooded meat eater. I have read the comments regarding exploding populations and how factory farming is the only way to provide food for everybody. And I think that it is accurate that manufacturing mass quantities of food is the only way for us to continue to eat the way we are currently eating (too much of lots of stuff we should be cutting back on). But I don’t think that justifies animal abuse or neglect, nor does it justify the unnecessary steroids and hormones and antibiotics and chemicals that we are passing through our food sources that are undoubtedly finding their way to us (at least to some degree). This is not the only country with brilliant scientists and researchers in it. I find it very telling that places like Canada, Japan, and Germany (along with many others) have outlawed these practices and additives.

For those who mentioned the need to produce such high quantities of food through these methods, I want to speak to that. We have become so dependent on other people doing everything for us that you are absolutely right. Very few people know how to garden or grow or butcher or anything anymore. And that needs to change. We have to get back to a society where we are as self sufficient as possible. That would relieve some of the pressure farmers feel to find ways to produce such massive quantities of food because they have to provide EVERYTHING for EVERYBODY.

I recently watched a movie on Netflix called Food Inc. I recommend it to everybody. It is time to make some changes. Just because we can do something (like dramatically increase milk yield with hormones) doesn’t mean that we should. We must do better.

Thank you very much for your article. I am doing what I can to spread the word. In the end, we can facilitate change. Just like we facilitated change to Big Tobacco. Support the local farmers, farmer’s markets, and do what you can to find ways to get your food from sources other than the grocery stores. The main argument I hear time and time again is that food like that is more expensive and we just can’t “afford” it. If people would just understand the money they are wasting in other ways because of how large corporations are growing and how we are getting our food (such as 1 in 3 Americans will develop early onset Diabetes), they would see that argument is simply false. The simple truth is, we really can’t afford not to.

LMurray it is in the Learn More section below the link provided in the Food Inc response from Administrator. Does that help? And by the way, thank you very much for your content. I know some were taking offense to what you had to say. I, for one, found your information very informative and supportive to the other research that I have discovered. I hope that, if nothing else, it helps people really think about where our food comes from and the effects that has on our health, our economy, and our very lives. It is a very important issue.

Really?
This video is from a PETA investigation of a North Carolina dairy farm. If you want to refute this article, whose sources (current at the time of publication, though some of the links are outdated now) are U.S. based and listed at the bottom of the page, you’ll have to do better than a blanket denial and accusation of lies.

And if USDA regulators crack down on these conditions after independent organizations expose them, yes, the dairies may go out of business. But the fact that they’re regulated by the USDA obviously (based on copious evidence produced by investigations by PETA, Mercy for Animals, and others) does not mean that animals live in conditions that adhere to USDA regulations. It means that farms and slaughterhouses can break regulations until they’re caught and penalized. That’s what this article is about.

I live in Pinal county Arizona. There are many dairies in the area which I have watched grow over the past 30 years in a ridiculously gross overcrowded way. I know a few people who have worked at a nearby dairy and have heard them talk about their work. One friend told me about how he milked the cows and the process is insane. Now I’ve breast feed three babies and the bond of this nature is one powerful natural wonder. What I found very unnatural, stressful and horribly painful though was expressing milk by electric device or manual device. Neither way was tolerable and only managed it a few times.There is no way that milk can be good for people when distressed broken hearted mothers are being yanked on by machines all day long year after year. Another friend told my husband and I something quite alarming about what they do with all the cows that die. I’ve read about Anthrax before and how it came about. So we all discussed how he should secretly make a video of what they are doing. Putting ground up cow into the feed is just disgusting and retarded. I’m glad I haven’t seen or smelled any dead cows dumped in the desert past 10 years but if this is the new method of dealing with so many dead cows someone should fix things so the death rate isn’t so high. I remember years ago a lady that was a scavenger of sorts who found a plot of land where many cow carcasses had been dumped. Having been there for some time they had become skeletons. Well she saw opportunity to make some money and proceeded pack as many skulls as she could into the trunk of her tiny old car. A few days later she was in the hospital. The doctors were shocked when they discovered it was anthrax. She almost died. So some cows here have already been dying of the disease. What could be the outcome if it is also in the milk? Also, my father in law takes the water samples from nearby school for testing regularly. I’ve read the paperwork. It advises against drinking the water since it is so high in nitrates. Plus the mosquitos at local school are so awful that the kids must be sprayed with mosquito repellant too often. Some years it has been every single day. That stuff is not safe either. I wonder if this is also because of the dairies? These cows live a torturous and horrible short life only to be fed back to the other milk cows! This is a recipe for disaster. Now my brother has been a mechanic for UDA for 20 years. He has seen milk hauling trucks being cleaned and even cleaned a few himself. He rarely drinks milk because of what is found inside the seams of the milk tanks, maggots. He’s also told me the strange business they do where by Arizona milk goes to California and California milk to Arizona. We thought it was all political and so they could tax it more but maybe there’s another reason as well? I always thought it strange that we as adults take baby food from another animal and consume so much of it. I never could drink more than a cup or I’d get an upset stomach. Now, after all I’ve seen and heard the past decade, I very rarely drink milk but then there’s all the other things made with milk. Truly isn’t it our children that drink the most milk. Most public schools offer only milk to drink with cafeteria meals. I suspect the hormones and antibiotics they been pumping into cows indeed have side effects and especially for our children. Could this be the reason some kids end up sick for extended periods of time because first antibiotic failed and a better one tends to be needed? Could kids be maturing at younger ages because of an imbalance of hormones in there little bodies and possibly turning to homosexuality due to overload of female hormones? Some think my theory is farfetched but is it really? I could go on but i think it’s more than obvious that our methods stink and America needs reform for the whole farming system. If we don’t change the system it’s only going to get worse and with such non-gratitude towards the cows for their milk we probably deserve every bit of the consequences.

I live in u.s. all my life, and just happen to see this add…about cows, and u.s. companies are part of it.. from the out-side it looks like Texas, and other States should have all the profit they need for Americans, and be part of Good health Programs, and cut cost for milk, and other milk production food things to make Americans the best in the world…I know Companies want to make monies, and many American have no- God..
So I think like Money, (USC) Banks, ..Farms..and Water, and other products, – the Government to take over – or – have more power, or more rules….to make the people , more healthy, safe, and keep the land rich, and children to love God and the United States…If our government lets people gets poor sick food…or it sold in a to high price, so all people can Not Eat well, we breed more sick American, more dum, or un-educated Americans, more un-healthy Americans, and most of all we breed NO -Americans.. sick, crime, and social programs will not help…. I can go on, an on…But, the point is… good food,, and the right price, saves America monies, makes lest sick, dum, or un- educated.. and we more people for to fight, and protect America.. and we can make the united states the best place in the world..– God Bless

This is completely boast and inaccurate. I have seen these same photos on at least 100 websites. If there are a significant number of these rare cases of mistreatment, THEN AT LEAST POST A PICTURE WITH IT. Get an education.

I think this is a very autocratic behavior against the innocent cows, and I strongly oppose that for economy.
I think that the suggestion I give might be possible now or definitely in next 5 years, that we can make artificial mammary gland and involved structure from their stem cells and exploit that to artificially produce natural milk.
This way, cows get their right to live and need not suffer this chain reaction of atrocities.